The verbal Noun in Arabic - اِسْمُ الْمَصْدَرُ | Arabic Free Course

Introduction

The foundational entity from which all nouns and verbs stem in Arabic is termed الْمَصْدَرُ. Functioning as a verbal noun, it can be prefixed with the article 'ال' or paired with tanween. Moreover, it exhibits declension, adapting to various grammatical roles in a sentence – be it nominative, accusative, or genitive.

Example:

لَوْلَا يَنْهَاهُمُ الرَّبَّانِيُّونَ وَالْأَحْبَارُ عَن قَوْلِهِمُ الْإِثْمَ وَأَكْلِهِمُ السُّحْتَ ۚ لَبِئْسَ مَا كَانُوا يَصْنَعُونَ

Why do the rabbis and religious scholars not forbid them from saying what is sinful and devouring what is unlawful? How wretched is what they have been practicing. (5:63)

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا تُوبُوا إِلَى اللَّـهِ تَوْبَةً نَّصُوحًا

O you who have believed, repent to Allah with sincere repentance. (66:8)

فَكَفَّارَتُهُ إِطْعَامُ عَشَرَةِ مَسَاكِينَ مِنْ أَوْسَطِ مَا تُطْعِمُونَ أَهْلِيكُمْ أَوْ كِسْوَتُهُمْ أَوْ تَحْرِيرُ رَقَبَةٍ

So its expiation is the feeding of ten needy people from the average of that which you feed your [own] families or clothing them or the freeing of a slave. (5:89)

Arabic possesses a rich linguistic structure, with many nouns and verbs stemming from a central source termed as the verbal noun, or الْمَصْدَرُ. From this foundation, various linguistic forms emerge:

1. Verbs (أَفْعَالٌ): The dynamic words that describe actions.
2. Active Participle (اسْمُ الفاعِلِ): Denotes the doer of an action.
3. Passive Participle (اِسْمُ المَفْعُولِ): Represents the recipient of an action.
4. Noun of Place & Time (اسْمُ الظَّرْفِ): Specifies location or temporal context.
5. Instrumental Noun (اسْمُ الآلَةِ): Denotes tools or means by which an action is carried out.
6. Comparative & Superlative (اسْمُ التَّفْضِيْلِ): Highlights comparison or superiority.
7. Adjective (اسْمُ الصِّفَةِ): Describes or modifies a noun.
8. Elative (اسْمُ المُبَالِغَةِ): Emphasizes or intensifies the meaning.

It's worth noting that certain verbal forms in Arabic don't strictly adhere to prescriptive rules; they are shaped by oral tradition and cultural acceptance over time.

Patterns of Verbal Nouns Found in the Holy Quran

Pattern فَعْلٌ

فَطَوَّعَتْ لَهُ نَفْسُهُ قَتْلَ أَخِيهِ فَقَتَلَهُ فَأَصْبَحَ مِنَ الْخَاسِرِينَ

And his soul permitted to him the murder of his brother, so he killed him and became among the losers. (5:30)

Pattern فَعُلٌ

إِنَّ الشِّرْكَ لَظُلْمٌ عَظِيمٌ

Indeed, association [with him] is a great injustice." (31:13)

Pattern فُعْلٌ

وَقَالُوا قُلُوبُنَا غُلْفٌ

And they said, "Our hearts are wrapped." (2:88)

Pattern فَعَلٌ

لَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا الْإِنسَانَ فِي كَبَدٍ

We have certainly created man into hardship. (90:4)

Pattern فَعِلٌ

وَجَاءُوا عَلَىٰ قَمِيصِهِ بِدَمٍ كَذِبٍ

And they brought upon his shirt false blood. (12:18)

Pattern فًعَلٌ

هُدًى لِّلْمُتَّقِينَ

guidance for those conscious of Allah (2:2)

Pattern فَعْلَةٌ

فَقَبَضْتُ قَبْضَةً مِّنْ أَثَرِ الرَّسُولِ

so I took a handful [of dust] from the track of the messenger (20:96)

Pattern فِعْلَةٌ

تِلْكَ إِذًا قِسْمَةٌ ضِيزَىٰ

That, then, is an unjust division. (53:22)

Pattern فُعْلَةٌ

إِذْ أَنتُم بِالْعُدْوَةِ الدُّنْيَا

[Remember] when you were on the near side of the valley (8:42)

Pattern فَعَلَةٌ

فَفِدْيَةٌ مِّن صِيَامٍ أَوْ صَدَقَةٍ أَوْ نُسُكٍ

a ransom of fasting [three days] or charity or sacrifice (2:196)

Pattern فَعِلَةٌ

وَتَمَّتْ كَلِمَتُ رَبِّكَ

And the word of your Lord has been fulfilled (6:115)

Pattern فِعْلَى

إِنْ هُوَ إِلَّا ذِكْرَىٰ لِلْعَالَمِينَ

It is not but a reminder for the worlds. (6:90)

Pattern فَعْلَى

فَمَا زَالَت تِّلْكَ دَعْوَاهُمْ حَتَّىٰ جَعَلْنَاهُمْ حَصِيدًا خَامِدِينَ

And that declaration of theirs did not cease until We made them [as] a harvest [mowed down], extinguished [like a fire]. (21:15)

Pattern فُعْلَى

قَالَ يَا بُشْرَىٰ هَـٰذَا غُلَامٌ

He said, "Good news! Here is a boy." (12:19)

Pattern فَعْلانِ

وَلَمَّا رَجَعَ مُوسَىٰ إِلَىٰ قَوْمِهِ غَضْبَانَ أَسِفًا

And when Moses returned to his people, angry and grieved (7:150)

Pattern فُعْلانِ

وَقَالُوا سَمِعْنَا وَأَطَعْنَا ۖ غُفْرَانَكَ رَبَّنَا وَإِلَيْكَ الْمَصِيرُ

And they say, "We hear and we obey. [We seek] Your forgiveness, our Lord, and to You is the [final] destination." (2:285)

Pattern فَعْلانِ

وَكَرَّهَ إِلَيْكُمُ الْكُفْرَ وَالْفُسُوقَ وَالْعِصْيَانَ

and has made hateful to you disbelief, defiance and disobedience. (49:7)

Pattern فَعَالٌ

وَإِنَّا عَلَىٰ ذَهَابٍ بِهِ لَقَادِرُونَ

And indeed, We can take it away. (23:18)

Pattern فَعَالٌ

وَهُوَ أَلَدُّ الْخِصَامِ

yet he is the fiercest of opponents. (2:204)

Pattern فُعَالٌ

قَالَ لَقَدْ ظَلَمَكَ بِسُؤَالِ نَعْجَتِكَ إِلَىٰ نِعَاجِهِ

[David] said, "He has certainly wronged you in demanding your ewe [in addition] to his ewes. (38:24)

Pattern فَعَالَةٌ

بَرَاءَةٌ مِّنَ اللَّـهِ وَرَسُولِهِ إِلَى الَّذِينَ عَاهَدتُّم مِّنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ

[This is a declaration of] disassociation, from Allah and His Messenger to those with whom you had made a treaty among the polytheists. (9:1)

Pattern فَعَالَةٌ

أَجَعَلْتُمْ سِقَايَةَ الْحَاجِّ

Have you made the providing of water for the pilgrim (9:19)

Pattern فُعُولٌ

فَاصْبِرْ عَلَىٰ مَا يَقُولُونَ وَسَبِّحْ بِحَمْدِ رَبِّكَ قَبْلَ طُلُوعِ الشَّمْسِ وَقَبْلَ الْغُرُوبِ

So be patient, [O Muhammad], over what they say and exalt [Allah] with praise of your Lord before the rising of the sun and before its setting, (50:39)

Pattern فَعُوْلٌ

فَتَقَبَّلَهَا رَبُّهَا بِقَبُولٍ حَسَنٍ

So her Lord accepted her with good acceptance (3:37)

Pattern فَعِيْلٌ

وَجَعَلْنَاكُمْ أَكْثَرَ نَفِيرًا

and made you more numerous in manpower (17:6)

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Pattern فَعُوْلَةٌ

وَمِنَ الْأَنْعَامِ حَمُولَةً وَفَرْشًا

And of the grazing livestock are carriers [of burdens] and those [too] small.(6:142)

Note: The pattern فَعْلَةٌ is known as اِسْمُ الْمَرَّةِ, which indicates the frequency or number of times an action is performed.

Additionally, there exists a variation of الْمَصْدَرُ termed as المَصْدَرُ المِيمي. This derivative can take on various patterns, such as مَفْعَلٌ, مَفْعِلٌ, or مُفْعَلٌ, each having its unique significance and application.

وَقُل رَّبِّ أَدْخِلْنِي مُدْخَلَ صِدْقٍ

And say, "My Lord, cause me to enter a sound entrance (17:80)

خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا ۚ حَسُنَتْ مُسْتَقَرًّا وَمُقَامًا

Abiding eternally therein. Good is the settlement and residence. (25:76)

Conclusion

This lesson on Arabic nuances concludes here. Insha’Allah, our subsequent session will delve into the tri-literal verb form فَعَّلَ.

Al-dirassa Institute invites you on a linguistic journey with our expert teachers to master the Arabic language. Should you wish to further your studies, we welcome your inquiries.